LEADING OFF: A big announcement will be coming this week, when Gov. John Hickenlooper is expected to name his pick for Colorado Supreme Court. The Post’s Jessica Fender had great profiles of each of the three candidates: Brian Boatright, Frederick Martinez and Patrick T. O’Rourke. Hickenlooper has until Friday to announce his choice. The new justice will replace Alex Martinez, who will become Denver’s manager of safety. Barring any embarrassing early exits from the governor’s mansion, this will be the first of at least two picks Hickenlooper will get. Meanwhile, we’ve heard lots of rumors but still no official word on that other big announcement – who will be Denver’s next police chief – though we’re inching closer to my prediction that we’ll have a new justice before we get a new chief. (Please Mayor Michael Hancock, prove me wrong).

STRIKE ONE: In an effort to save money, Denver canceled Police Academy classes. Tom McGhee reports in today’s Post that the decision has had some unintended consequences. KKCO in Grand Junction has the story of a Palisade couple arrested for selling meth to undercover cops with two kids in the room. And the Fort Collins Coloradoan captured the flames flying from an Old Town building this morning.

STRIKE TWO:The Washington Post had a story over the weekend on Mexico’s drug war, and how the deployment of officers to fight cartels has led to a near doubling of the acreage dedicated to marijuana farming. And the Los Angeles Times has more info on the loaded gun that made it past TSA.